A randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of writing as a self-help intervention for traumatic injury patients at risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder

The study investigated the effects of writing and self-help information on severity of psychological symptoms in traumatic injury patients at risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Patients attending Accident and Emergency (A & E), were screened for Acute Stress Disorder and randomised to an information control group (n = 36) or a writing and information group (n = 31). Participants in both groups received an information booklet one-month post-injury. Participants in the writing group also wrote about emotional aspects of their trauma during three 20-min sessions, five to six weeks post-injury. Psychological assessments were completed within one month and at three and six months post-injury. There were significant improvements on measures of anxiety, depression and PTSD over time. Differences between groups on these measures were not statistically significant. However, subjective ratings of the usefulness of writing were high. In conclusion, the results do not currently support the use of writing as a targeted early intervention technique for traumatic injury patients at risk of developing PTSD.     

Signalling signalhood and the emergence of communication

A unique hallmark of human language is that it uses signals that are both learnt and symbolic. The emergence of such signals was therefore a defining event in human cognitive evolution, yet very little is known about how such a process occurs. Previous work provides some insights on how meaning can become attached to form, but a more foundational issue is presently unaddressed. How does a signal signal its own signalhood? That is, how do humans even know that communicative behaviour is indeed communicative in nature? We introduce an experimental game that has been designed to tackle this problem. We find that it is commonly resolved with a bootstrapping process, and that this process influences the final form of the communication system. Furthermore, sufficient common ground is observed to be integral to the recognition of signalhood, and the emergence of dialogue is observed to be the key step in the development of a system that can be employed to achieve shared goals.     

Acute systemic fibroblast growth factor-2 enhances long-term memory in developing rats

Recent findings have provided much insight into the mechanisms underlying long-term memory formation, and it is now known that long-term memory depends on the activation of a molecular cascade that culminates with structural changes in the brain. However, little is known about the signals that give rise to or regulate these structural changes. In this article we propose that fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), a mitogen for several cell types, may be one of the molecular signals critically involved in the structural changes underlying long-term memory. If FGF2 is part of the signalling cascade involved in long-term memory, then increasing the activation of FGF2 should facilitate memory. In Experiments 1 and 2, we demonstrated that systemic injection of FGF2 (20 ng/g of body weight) facilitated memory for contextual fear in 16, 19, and 22 day old male Sprague Dawley rats. Experiment 3 demonstrated that the observed facilitation of memory was not due to FGF2 increasing rats’ sensitivity to footshock. These results implicate FGF2 as a possible molecular signal in long-term memory, and further, illustrate a novel means of enhancing memory.     

The danger of Durkheim: Ambiguity in the theory of social effervescence

The purpose of this article is to shed light on an ambiguity in Émile Durkheim's theory of social effervescence. Durkheim's failure to distinguish two kinds of effervescence at the heart of the religious rite has left a dangerous legacy in the study of religion. If his work is read, however, in light of René Girard's theory of the violent origins of religion, his analysis of la société can retain the distinction between the effervescence of the crowd in scapegoating and the effervescence of protecting the victims of scapegoating. This thesis is tested by briefly comparing some contemporary essays on Durkheim.     

Use of the MMPI-A to detect substance abuse in a juvenile correctional setting.

In this study, we examined the ability of the MMPI-A (Butcher et al., 1992) to detect substance abuse problems in a juvenile correctional setting. Specifically, we evaluated the Alcohol/Drug Problem Acknowledgment scale (ACK; Weed, Butcher, & Williams, 1994), the Alcohol/Drug Problem Proneness scale (PRO; Weed et al., 1994), and the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale-Revised (MAC-R; Butcher et al., 1992) in the prediction of substance abuse. In addition, the incremental validity of ACK in comparison to PRO was evaluated, as was the incremental validity of PRO in comparison to ACK. The sample consisted of 123 boys and girls from ajuvenile correctional facility in Northeastern Ohio. Results indicate that ACK and PRO, but not MAC-R, were related to interviewer ratings of substance abuse. Results point to the superiority of ACK over PRO in substance abuse identification.     

Research and Theory Religion and Spirituality in Coping With Stress

Relations among and between religion, spirituality, and the ability to cope with stress were examined using a sample of 115 graduate students in counseling. Religion and spirituality positively correlated with coping with stress. Counseling students who expressed spirituality through religious beliefs had greater spiritual health and immunity to stressful situations than counseling students who identified themselves as spiritual but not religious. Counseling students with a religious/spiritual affiliation indicated more discomfort counseling clients hostile to religion compared with counseling students with a spiritual‐only affiliation. The results have implications for preparing counseling students to work with clients with religious/spiritual issues.     

The Use of Standard Parenting Management Training in Addressing Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: A Pilot Study

Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy - Parent management training has demonstrated effectiveness in the treatment of child behavioural issues and associated conduct difficulties. Anger,...